The present invention relates to protective devices for hydrants and, more particularly, to protective covers for the operating nut which activates a fire hydrant for use.
The unauthorized operation of fire hydrants is a common urban problem having possibly severe consequences, such as the waste of large quantities of water and the resulting substantial drop in an area's water pressure. Moreover, such tampering oftentimes results in damage to or loss of the operating nut of a fire hydrant which can make the hydrant inoperative and thus result in substantial property damage in the area due to fire.
There have been many attempts in the prior art to protect the operating nut of a hydrant from damage and prevent unauthorized access thereto. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,485,595 discloses a cap which surrounds the nut and contains an operating member which fastens to the operating nut and which together prevent access to the nut without a special tool. U.S. Pat. No. 4,398,556 discloses a similar device in which the entire bonnet of the hydrant is replaced with a special bonnet that prevents access to the operating nut without a special tool. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,453,665; 3,709,249 and 2,118,233 disclose similar devices.
Damage to the operating nut or jamming of the protective devices of the prior art is a common problem as a result of vandals battering on the devices with sledgehammers or other objects which deliver considerable blows to the devices and either break the devices or prevent their removal.